Products

Decisions about the things we buy can move us toward being sustainable. Thinking about things like the resources used in the products we buy, how efficient they are and their lifecycle can help us make more environmentally friendly purchases. How can we reconfigure our retail filters to include our environmental responsibilities?

Avoid products with excessive packaging

Give priority to purchasing unpackaged products and save the earth's precious resources. more »

Use non-toxic cleaners

Common cleaning products, disinfectants and air fresheners are creating a toxic environment at home. Try natural alternatives and live longer. more »

Tune your shopping radar to the environment

Become aware of the environmental implications of your consumption and purchase those goods that have the least impact on our future. more »

Environment

All goods have embedded energy and resources, have been transported, and at some stage will need to be recycled or disposed of. All of these phases of a product's life cycle consume scarce natural resources, and current practices are often simply not sustainable. To forge a culture where companies improve the sustainability of their product offerings, we need to buy from the environmentally conscious and innovative companies, buy products that last a lifetime, buy local and buy less.

Wellbeing

Advertising, brand value, retail therapy, and social status are the tools of the modern marketer, who seeks to convince you that your wellbeing depends on the things you buy. Breaking this spell and choosing not to be manipulated will allow you to pursue esteem, self expression and the stronger kind of happiness that comes from within you. It will also hone your critical faculties.

If you are interested in this topic, you might want to download and watch for free “The Story of Stuff”.